| Micrelenchus purpureus | |
|---|---|
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| Apertural view of a shell of Micrelenchus purpureus | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Vetigastropoda |
| Order: | Trochida |
| Superfamily: | Trochoidea |
| Family: | Trochidae |
| Genus: | Micrelenchus |
| Species: | M. purpureus |
| Binomial name | |
| Micrelenchus purpureus (Gmelin, 1791) | |
| Synonyms | |
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Micrelenchus purpureus, common name the red opal top shell, is a species of medium-sized sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Trochidae.
Description
The length of the shell varies between 16 mm and 32 mm. It grazes on seaweed.
 | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (November 2012) |
Distribution
This marine species occurs off North Island and South Island, New Zealand.
References
- MolluscaBase eds. (2020). MolluscaBase. Micrelenchus purpureus (Gmelin, 1791). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=876695 on 2020-07-26
- Kiener, L.C. (1850). Genre Trochus (plates only). Spécies général et iconographie des coquilles vivantes. 11. Rousseau & Baillière, Paris.
- Hombron J. B. & Jacquinot H. (1848 ). Atlas d'Histoire Naturelle. Zoologie par MM. Hombron et Jacquinot, chirurgiens de l'expédition. in: Voyage au pole sud et dans l'Océanie sur les corvettes l'Astrolabe et la Zélée pendant les années 1837-1838-1839-1840 sous le commandement de M. Dumont-D'Urville capitaine de vaisseau publié sous les auspices du département de la marine et sous la direction supérieure de M. Jacquinot, capitaine de Vaisseau, commandant de La Zélée. Vingt-quatriéme livraison. Insectes lépidoptéres pls 1,2; Mollusques pls 9, 11, 12.
External links
- "Cantharidus purpureus". Gastropods.com. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
- Gmelin J.F. (1791). Vermes. In: Gmelin J.F. (Ed.) Caroli a Linnaei Systema Naturae per Regna Tria Naturae, Ed. 13. Tome 1(6). G.E. Beer, Lipsiae [Leipzig]. pp. 3021-3910
- Menke, K. T. (1828). Synopsis methodica molluscorum generum omnium et specierum earum, quae in Museo Menkeano adservantur; cum synonymia critica et novarum specierum diagnosibus. XII + 91 pp.
- Gould A.A. (1849). [Descriptions of new species of shells, brought home by the U. S. Exploring Expedition]. Proceedings of the Boston Society of Natural History. 3: 83-85, 89-92, 106-108, 118-121 [May 1849], 140-144
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lateral view
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lateral view
Further reading
- Powell A. W. B., New Zealand Mollusca, p. 55; William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1979 ISBN 0-00-216906-1
- Marshall, B.A. 1998: The New Zealand Recent species of Cantharidus Montfort, 1810 and Micrelenchus Finlay, 1926 (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Trochidae). Molluscan Research 19: 107-156 (p. 114)
| Taxon identifiers | |
|---|---|
| Micrelenchus purpureus | |
| Cantharidus purpureus | |
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